The Story of Stuff Project

“Together, we can build a world focused on “BETTER” instead of “MORE“

Image source: Story of Stuff Project; medal by Sunish from Noun Project (CC BY 3.0)

Back when my kids were in grade school, I took one of them to the neighborhood grocery store. I walked and my kid rode his bike. When we got to the store, we realized he didn’t have his bike lock, and I told him he’d need to wait outside with his bike so it wouldn’t get stolen. He said, “It’s okay, mom. I don’t really like this bike and if it gets stolen, I’ll just get another one.”

My first thought: “With whose money?”

My second thought: “Wow, we’ve created the perception of an endless supply of stuff, in a world where we can always buy more.”

Not long after that incident I sat down with my kids to watch a short video called “The Story of Stuff” that went viral soon after its release in 2007. It begins with the host, Annie Leonard, asking, “Do you have one of these?” as she holds up an Apple iPod. Swap out the iPod with an iPhone, and the rest of the content holds up today. The video goes on to talk about where stuff comes from and where it ends up, exposing environmental and social issues along the way, using a format with kid-friendly language and charming animation.

That video was the catalyst for The Story of Stuff Project, and Annie Leonard now sits on the board. Today they have over one million members in their global community and have produced dozens of videos with over 50 million online views worldwide. In addition to videos, they offer free campaigns, like Unbottle Water and Fight Plastic Pollution. I just signed up for the free four-week Citizen Muscle Boot Camp that empowers participants with skills to organize and lead local projects. Remember my post on junk mail? Turns out that The Story of Stuff Project owns and operates Catalog Choice, a free service for opting out of junk mail. I had no idea!

All the videos are covered under a Creative Commons License that encourages sharing. To that effect, I’m sharing the inaugural viral video below. Please give it a view and play it forward. Just like all of the content on this site, the impact is greater when it’s shared.

Back to the grocery store. Yes, I made my kid wait outside with his bike, and it didn’t get stolen. He didn’t get a new one until he outgrew it.